Crime involving smartphone theft has become an epidemic, especially in places such as New York City where the crime rate went up for the first time in twenty years thanks to thieves looking to steal an iOS device. As a response to the iOS device crimewave, Apple has added significant improvements to iOS 7 including a new Activation Lock feature, but according to the New York Police Department’s new commissioner, Bill Bratton, this isn’t enough. Bratton claims to be sure that Apple and other US Smartphone manufacturers are in cahoots with insurance companies to make a fortune by not installing a kill switch within their devices and/or platforms.

While speaking at a symposium on community policing, Commissioner Bratton said he’s joining the efforts of NY Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón to pressure Apple and other mobile device makers to install a kill switch for stolen devices. According to him, it would be easy for OEMs to make the kill switch and that Samsung already proposed making it standard on its phones but American manufacturers such as Apple are resistant to the idea. He stated the following regarding the matter:

They don’t want to do it because they are basically working in cahoots with the insurance companies and they’re making a fortune off it… We are responding to a problem they can prevent. They have the capability to effectively make these phones useless.

The activation lock feature in iOS 7 gives users the option to disable lost or stolen iPhones remotely, rendering the device useless without the owner’s iCloud password or PIN, which sounds like a user-controlled kill switch. San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón was pretty content with the feature as well. Other smartphone makers have yet to release such a feature so perhaps Bratton’s focus is a bit misdirected. We’ll have to wait and see what step is taken next to help resolve the bigger issue at hand here.

If there is a kill switch, I want full control over it. I don't want a device manufacture to decide that I should no longer be allowed to use a device that I paid for and issuing a kill command to it.

Bottom line is Apple's setup is a kill switch, plan and simple. That being said, I really don't think enforcing the laws is the responsibility of the manufacturer. Enforcing laws is the responsibility of the police.

If there is a kill switch, I want full control over it. I don't want a device manufacture to decide that I should no longer be allowed to use a device that I paid for and issuing a kill command to it.

Bottom line is Apple's setup is a kill switch, plan and simple. That being said, I really don't think enforcing the laws is the responsibility of the manufacturer. Enforcing laws is the responsibility of the police.

Some devs are getting pestered with requests for an activation lock by-pass. iH8sn0w has joked that he needs more stolen devices to test it on! ;-) That - and the fact that the prices of activation-locked iDevices are plummeting on eBay, would seem to suggest it's working pretty well. Kudos to Apple.

The Pin Lock feature definitely does what it supposed to do. Its not up to Apple to control crime. Police should thank them for giving them something to do :] On a serious note, I don't want anyone being able to kill my phone but me. If my phone gets stolen, why do i care if someone can use it..I CAN'T! Controlling what happens to your phone after you don't have it...once again who cares. You're still going to go buy another one. At the same time, Obama can turn off the internet anytime he wants to, Interpole can investigate you without supervision or consequence...I hope you all know that the day when they decide to put into effect a kill switch is right around the corner...natural progression.

What if the "kill switch" burns hardware components as well? There would be no valuable parts to sell.

They should have a Mission Impossible like self destruct option programmed into Find iPhone. I can see the posts now.
"Help! I accidentally hit self destruct and now my iPhone is on fire. What do I do "

Selling it for parts doesn't work as well since the value decreases as a result of the labor involved in stripping the parts and reselling them, which at a kiosk won't net much in service cost for the seller.

They can have my jailbreak when they pry it from my cold dead fingers.

I think Apple's Activation Lock feature is the best answer to all the stolen phone problem. All manufacturer should implement it period. But with just one added extra will be even better which is: to electronically locking/disabling all major valuable components so everyone knows it's really "Bricked" forever and only good for a doorstop. There's a good Apple! 😄

The commisioner should stick to what he knows, (crime fighting, hopefully?)I don't think that anyone is claiming a stolen iPhone on their insurance. The deductible is more than the cost of the iPhone. The only ones profiting from stolen iDevices are the thief and Apple.